Flora Reinhold: The City of Gold
by EmeraldWings1992
Summary: Flora has been kidnapped by Roma Hertz, and they are heading directly for the third and final city: The City of Gold. Will Flora be able to escape with the help of a few familiar faces, or will Hertz finally achieve her goal of entering the City of Gold, and obtaining the treasure it contains? Third and final book in the 'Flora Reinhold' series. COMPLETE
1. Prologue

**A/N:** I'm baaaaaaack! This story will be the end of the _Flora Reinhold_ series, and I'm hoping it'll be the most exciting yet.

 **Review Reply to Gamergirl:** I'm glad I could make you happy. Yes, Alfendi was faking. I'm surprised more people didn't guess that! I'm also happy you enjoyed Flora using a sword. I was I could animate it! That would be awesome! Sorry about the cliffhanger. IT HAD TO BE DONE!

This is the only chapter that'll be in third person!

Now forward!

…

Prologue

 _Third Person_

Professor Hershel Layton smiled as he turned onto the street that he resided on. It'd been many months since he last saw his home, and his family, and he couldn't wait to pull Flora and a protesting Alfendi into a hug. After that, perhaps they would go pick Eric up from the University, for his classes should be over, and they could go out for dinner.

With this thoughts in mind, he parked the Laytonmobile in front of his flat, retrieved his trunk from the back seat, and made his way to the front door.

"I'm home!" he called as he opened the door.

"Professor!"

"Father!"

"Layton."

Hershel was immediately put on guard, not just from the fact that Eric answered instead of Flora, or his and Alfendi's tone, but also for the fact that Inspector Chelemy was standing in his parlor.

"Inspector," he said, setting his trunk down close to the wall, before looking around. Eric was sitting stiffly in his arm chair, while Alfendi was perched on the arm of the couch. Chelemy was standing by the window with a perfect view of the front door.

"Where's Flora?" the professor demanded, realizing she was missing. Both Eric and Alfendi looked away, Eric upset and defeated, Alfendi angry.

"She's missing," Chelemy said.

"What!?" Professor Layton gasped.

"Yeah. After Roma Hertz escaped jail and stole the Chalice of Youth… she kidnapped Alfendi from school and took him to Caneopa…" Eric said, gaining the Professor's attention. He told the professor everything that happened.

"Alfendi took the staff and ran, to draw off the hypnotized crowd, and Flora made me go call Scotland Yard. By the time either of us returned to the square… both Flora and Hertz were gone…" Eric finished.

"We searched everywhere, but in the chaos and confusion, she must have somehow gotten out of the city," Alfendi added. Hershel frowned slightly, his eyes hardening.

"How long ago was this…?" he asked. The two boys looked at each other before looking down. It was Chelemy who answered.

"About a week now."

Hershel looked up at the inspector, his mouth a hard line at that answer, before he realized that he needed to keep a clear mind. He took a few deep breaths before bringing his hand up to his chin thoughtfully.

"How are we going to find them, if the whole of Scotland Yard can't?" Eric demanded. Layton turned to look at him.

"It's not her and Hertz we should be hunting for," he finally said.

"What are you talking about, Layton!?" Chelemy snapped. "Of course it's them we should be looking for!"

"No. Hertz wasn't nothing more than to find the City of Gold, correct?" he asked, looking at Eric, who nodded.

"Yeah, though we haven't been able to figure out why…" he admitted.

"Then that's what we must do. Find the City of Gold."

…

The train pulled up to a small train station, slowing to a stop in order to let its passengers off. Many passengers disembarked, and the conductors began to unload the luggage from the last car.

A couple leaned against the wall near the entrance of the wall, watching the luggage.

"Look at that trunk," the woman said softly, pointing to a large trunk that was being unloaded.

"Look's heavy," the man commented.

 _THUD_

"CAREFUL!" a woman snapped, whirling around when hearing the sound of the trunk falling. "There is valuable cargo in there! If you break it, it'll be your head!" she yelled.

"S-sorry, ma'am!" the poor train conductor stammered, quickly righting the trunk. He glanced down, noticing the lock was broken, but before he could say anything, the woman swept over, shooing him away.

"Huh. 'Valuable,' huh?" the man said with a smirk, looking at over at the woman, who leaned closer to him. "Thinking what I'm thinking?"

"Sure," the woman said with a winning smile. "So long as she deserves it," he said, poking his nose.

"Yeah, yeah, I know," he muttered. The two smiled at each other, before slipping away from the train station.

…

 **A/N:** And the end of the prologue! Poor Professor Layton. He just has such bad luck!

Any idea who those characters where at the end?


	2. Mist Covered Town

**A/N:** I'm back! Here's the first real chapter of the final book of the trilogy!

 **Review Replies-**

Aria and Clive: It's technically not a spoil, since I made it kind of obvious, haha. Clive, have you been playing _Rhythm Thief?_ That last line reminded me of that game!

Gamergirl: That it has! And you know Eric and Alfendi will be doing everything in their power to help him. This chapter will make it clear who at least one of those people are!

Now, FORWARD!

…

Chapter One: Mist Covered Town

I don't know how long I've been in this stupid trunk. I did know it was long enough for hunger to become a real discomfort. I also began to feel dehydrated.

It seemed as though Hertz didn't care what kind of condition I was in when we reached our destination.

I wasn't entirely still the whole way to wherever we were going. In the ensuing days (it couldn't be longer, or else I'd be in much worse condition from lack of food and water), I managed to free my hands from their bonds.

I was quickly and quietly working on my legs when I sensed a change in the movement of the trunk. First, it was stopped, then slowly moved in a swaying way, much different for that of the train.

Then, suddenly, it was flipped and dropped.

 _THUD—Crunch!_

Grateful I didn't remove the gag for the noise I made, I groaned softly.

" _CAREFUL!_ _There is valuable cargo in there! If you break it, it'll be your head!_ " I distantly heard Hertz yell. There was some back and forth between her and a man, but I was thinking about the second noise I heard. It was a small crunch, almost like…

…Almost like the lock had broken!

Hoping that was the case, I quickly finished untying my legs, and waited. I could feel the trunk being moved along on a dolly down a road that seemed somewhat bumpy, and I could faintly hear the sound of moving water.

We stopped.

" _Hello! Welcome to the only hotel in this town. Do you have a reservation?"_ a voice, male I think, asked.

" _Yes. Hertz for one, in room 302?"_ Hertz answered.

 _Try two,_ I thought bitterly, thinking about making my escape now. It was no use, though. If this hotel employee saw me, Hertz would probably hypnotize him…

" _Ah yes, here we are. Here's your key, and I'll help you with your trunk up the stairs._ "

" _Thank you. Ah, please be careful with that,_ " the woman said. " _The stuff inside is quite fragile._ "

" _Yes, ma'am._ "

The trunk was picked up from the dolly, and carried up the stairs. I could feel the man struggling every now and again, and stayed as still as possible to make it easier for him.

Soon, the trunk was put down again. I listened as Hertz moved around the room for a bit, before everything became quiet.

Carefully spitting the gag out of my mouth ( _Finally!)_ , I pressed against the top. It slowly lifted, allowing light to flood into the trunk. Peeking around, I saw no sign of Hertz.

Carefully, I climbed out, quietly closing the trunk again. My luck held out as Hertz still didn't return to her room, but I didn't want to wait around.

I slipped out into the hallway, down the steps, and made a break for the door, ignoring the surprised yell from the hotel employee behind the desk.

Outside, light, sound, and mist all confused me. I had no idea where I was, just that I had to get away from the hotel.

With this one goal in mind, I picked a direction, and ran, noticing that the whole town was covered in a fine mist. Some people on the street looked after me as I ran, but soon went back to their own business.

Finally sure I'd be safe for a few minutes, and my thirst making itself known, I slowed to a halt next to one of the many canals in the town, plunged my hands into it, and drank deeply from the water pooled in my hands.

I then spat it out, scrubbing the back of my hand against my mouth. It tasted foul!

Disappointed, I stood back up and followed the road I was on, looking around and studying the town, ignoring the gnawing hunger and thirst. First things first: I had to figure out where I was, and somewhere safe to hide. I had to find a post office in order to send Eric and Alfendi a letter. I had to—

I froze, spotting Hertz down the road. She looked up before I could move, and dropped the bag she was holding, her eyes first widening, then narrowing dangerously.

Spinning on my heel, I ran in the opposite direction. Without looking over my shoulder, I knew she was running after me. Adrenaline pushed me forward, and I took turns at random, trying to get away. Suddenly, I saw a pair of bridges, and darted over the first, then the second, entering some kind of market area.

Perfect!

The roads here were crowded, narrow, and winding. I used all of these to my advantage, making my way deeper and deeper into the market, not planning on stopping until I was sure I lost her.

 _A hiding spot! That's what I need, a hiding—_ "Oof!" I gasped, falling back after running headfirst into someone. I heard him grunt as well.

"Hey. Watch it," the man said with no real heat behind his words.

"S-sorry…" I stammered, standing and looking closer at him. He stood a few inches taller than me, with a dark blue hat, brown hair, and a yellow scarf.

He looked vaguely familiar, as thought I'd seen pictures of him.

Suddenly, everything I'd seen since my escape clicked into place.

A mist covered town, crisscrossed with canals, a large marketplace…

"Wait!" I pleaded, grabbing the man's sleeve as he turned away. He looked back at me with sharp eyes.

"Yes…?"

"Are… are you Crow? Is this Misthallery…?" I asked. The man looked at me closer, taking in my appearance.

"Who are you?" he demanded.

"F-Flora Reinhold. A friend of Luke Triton's… please… I need help," I pleaded. Now that the adrenaline was wearing off, I could feel myself on the verge of collapse. He seemed to notice it too, for he turned fully to face me, holding me up by my elbows.

"Triton? There's a guy I haven't seen for a while," he muttered, before looking closer at me. "Are you in danger?"

"Yes…"

"Alright, then. Come on!" He quickly pulled me along until we reached a small alleyway. He crouched down next to a manhole cover and pulled it back.

"Down you go," he said. I nodded, carefully climbing down the ladder and moving aside for him, looking around.

We were in some kind of underground passage, an underground river running alongside a narrow walkway. Crow took my hand and quickly lead me along the path, through a cavern full of booths, and into an empty amphitheater. He pulled me along a little further, until we reached back stage.

"Flora, welcome to the Black Market of Misthallery," Crow said, glancing back at me with a smirk.

…

 **A/N:** Okay, how many of you guessed this? Hehe.


	3. The Black Ravens

**A/N:** Sorry for how long this took to put up! The internet here has been REALLY spotty. I actually had to call my professor and explain why I was late getting stuff up… *sob*

 **Review Replies:**

 _Aria and Clive_ : Can I just say I really look forward to your reviews now? They make me laugh! By the wait, that quote was in the _beginning_ of the game. Uh… what Rhythm Thief did you find at first…?

 _Gamergirl_ : Exactly! She's not so helpless anymore, eh? I don't think a lot of people thought of Crow and Misthallery, to be honest. I hope I do it justice! And maybe it does. Just read to see!

But here's the next chapter!

…

Chapter Two: The Black Ravens

"Here you go," a woman said, setting a tray in front of me. I looked up from where I had started to doze off, sitting at a table Crow left me at, and met a pair of familiar eyes.

"Arianna?" I asked softly. She smiled at me.

"Hello, Flora. Come on, you need to eat and drink," she said, moving the tray closer. I looked down, noticing a bowl of steaming, thick stew, and a tall glass of water, and immediately grabbed the spoon. "Slowly," Arianna added with a laugh. I slowly ate the stew and sipped the water, before looking up at her.

"Thanks," I said. She smiled back.

"You're welcome. So—" she cut off as I yawned widely, swaying in my seat. She smiled.

"Let's get you to bed," she said, standing and taking my arm, gently pulling me up. I let her lead me even deeper into the underground cavern, until finally, we reached a small bedroom like area.

I don't even remember what Arianna said as I laid down. I was asleep before I even touched the pillow.

…

 _The Next Morning_

"Wow, that's quite the adventure…" Arianna gasped as I finished telling her what happened in the past week or so. I nodded.

"Yeah," I sighed. "So, I'm guessing I'm in Misthallery, in the Black Market?" I asked. After meeting Crow yesterday, everything had been a blur.

"Right. The people working are the Black Ravens, the ones who run the Black Market," Arianna said.

"Are you a Black Raven, too?" I asked. She gave me a mysterious smile.

"Something like that," she said off-handedly. I chuckled, letting her keep her mystery. "So, why Misthallery, do you think?" Arianna suddenly asked.

"Hm?"

"Why'd Hertz bring you here?"

"Oh. It must be the City of Gold…" I said, suddenly aware of Crow's presence as he appeared by the door. "After all, she's been searching for it for years. If she came here, then the City of Gold must be here, too," I explained.

"That makes sense," Crow suddenly said, causing the two of us to look at him. "After all, along with legends of the Golden Garden, protected by the Specter, there was a Golden City somewhere near Misthallery. Unlike the Garden, this city protects itself," Crow explained, coming over and sitting next to Arianna. The woman smiled warmly at him, and Crow smiled back, before passing me a pen, paper, and envelope. "The Black Ravens have searched for this City for years: it's bound to have something of worth to sell in the Market," he said.

"What's this for?" I asked, motioning to the paper.

"You were muttering about the Professor, Eric, and Alfendi in your sleep. I thought you might want to get a letter out to them, let them know where you are," Crow said. I perked up.

"That's a great idea! Hopefully, Eric and Alfendi returned to Gressensheller," I said, pulling the paper and pen closer. After a moment's thought, I looked at the pen.

"Do you have any white wax?" I asked.

"Er, sure," Crow stood, getting some, before handing it back to me. I smiled and carefully wrote my letter out, explaining where I was and what's happened, before sealing the envelope, writing Eric's name on it. I then handed it back to Crow.

"It was invisible," Crow said, looking at the envelope. I smiled.

"They'll know how to read it," I replied. He hesitated a moment more before nodding.

"Well, alright. I'll have Nabby send it out."

"Guys, I have some bad news," a woman with long, blue curly hair said as she walked swiftly into the room.

"What is it, Marilyn?" Arianna asked.

"The police are acting strange," she said. "More organized then normal, and out in more numbers then we're used to."

"Do they seem extremely focused? Almost _too_ focused?" I asked. The woman seemed surprised.

"Er, yeah… And they're… searching for, well, you."

"What!?" Crow demanded. Marilyn nodded.

"Yeah. Apparently, there is a 'dangerous fugitive on the loose by the name of Flora Reinhold.'They even have a picture of you," she explained. I sighed softly.

"Hertz hypnotized them. She's essentially controlling them," I said.

"Great. How do we handle that?" Crow demanded, crossing his arms.

"We need to free them. I know a song to free them from hypnosis, but… I don't know how to go about it…" I explained.

"I know," Arianna said with a mischievous grin. Everyone turned to look at her. "I have a plan. And the first phase is for rumors to spread that Flora is under the protection of not just the Black Raven, but also the Black Witch."

"The… Black Witch?" I asked.

"A mysterious figure who consorts with the Black Raven. I was once called this when I was younger, thanks to my brother, but now people don't connect me to her at all," Arianna said. Crow smirked.

"The people would be too scared to come take you from not _just_ the Raven, but also the Witch," he said. "Hell, they'll be too scared to come near you if they saw you in the city."

"Unless they were being controlled!" I gasped, realizing where this was going.

"And we can use that the lure the police to one central spot, so that you can sing your song," Arianna finished. Crow grinned, kissing her cheek.

"Genius!" He turned to where everyone was milling around. "Hear that, Ravens!? Let the rumor spread!" he called.

"Right!" they replied, before moving out into the city. Crow turned to me and Arianna with an impish grin.

"This will be fun."

…

 **A/N:** Yes. I ship older Crow and Arianna.

If you watch the ending credits to LS, you see where Flora and Arianna met, by the way.


	4. Clues

**A/N:** I'm sorry for the wait! My internet has been out *sob*. That's why this is a mass update!

 **Review Replies:**

Aria and Clive: I'm glad you like it so much! And uh… about the Rhythm Thief…? I understand your reaction now… You two are so amusing, hehe.

Well, here we go!

…

Chapter Three: Clues

Crow decided that it would be a good idea to let the rumor circulate for about two days before we put the next phase of our plan into action. Of course, I couldn't stay underground, doing nothing, for those days.

I've gotten better at disguises since my days of a pair of glasses and a headscarf. My long curls were pulled up under a knitted cap, and a scarf was pulled up, covering my mouth and nose. I wore a thick, heavy sweater, a pair of trousers, and heavy work boots to complete the disguise.

"Who are you-?" Arianna had stopped from where she was walking past me as I headed towards the ladder, her eyes widening. "Wait, Flora?"

"You… recognized me?" I asked, my heart dropping.

"Only because of your eyes, and that curl," Arianna said with a grin, coming over and pushing my bangs under the cap. She then walked over to one of the booths, grabbing a pair of sunglasses. "Wear this when you get topside," she said. I smiled, taking them.

"Alright. Thanks."

Where you going, anyway?" she asked.

"I'm going to do some research into the City of Gold. I don't know if Hertz managed to get a hold of the two keys, but I still need to find it before she does," I said. Arianna smiled.

"Alright. Just be careful, okay?" she said. I nodded.

"Alright," I replied, heading topside. As soon as I reached the surface, I immediately put the sunglasses on and made my way to the library. I made sure to keep a close ear out to hear what people were saying.

It sounded the like the rumor had spread like wildfire. Another thing I kept hearing about was the odd behavior of the police. Apparently, they weren't even pursuing crime that happened _right in front of them_

Hertz was playing for keeps this time. She was desperate.

"Hello! Welcome to the Misthallery Library! Can I help you?" the woman at the front desk asked. I smiled.

"Yes. I want to find information on the City of Gold," I said.

"Hm? Oh, you're the second person in a week to ask about that. I'm sorry to say, but we don't have anything on the City of Gold. Would you like to look at our collection on that?" she asked.

 _The 'second one'? Hertz must have been the first…_ I looked closer at the woman, noticing how her eyes tended to wonder around the library slightly as she split her attention between me and the stacks of books. That actually put me at ease: it meant she wasn't hypnotized.

"Sure," I said with a smile, forgetting for a moment that she couldn't see it due to the scarf. She smiled back, however, probably hearing it in my voice, and lead me to a small section in the back. I figured it was a start. Perhaps the Garden and City were somehow connected?

I gathered as many books in my arms as I could and sat at a nearby table, pouring over the old volumes. I had my notebook out, ready to take notes, but none of the information was new to me. After all, it was the Professor who had discovered the garden. He and Luke told me all about it: the purity of the air, the healing properties, Loosha… I sighed, propping my elbow on the table and resting my cheek in my hand.

 _Hertz brought me here for a reason. She's been researching these Cities for YEARS. She wouldn't have risked bringing me here on a hunch, I_ know _that. That means the City has to be either here, or around Misthallery._

 _I guess it's possible she was only passing through… but she booked a hotel room in advance and everything._

 _These Cities are still a mystery though. They're not Azran… Eric proved that with the City of Silver…_ I absently ran my fingers over one of the books, tracing an illustration of some ruins found in the garden. _Yet, the ruins and hieroglyphics found in these cities seem vaguely familiar. I've seen them somewhere before…_ My thoughts ground to a halt as my finger followed the loop of one of the ruins. Underneath, the translation stated that it stood for 'gold.' Staring at the ruin, I followed its shape again with my finger.

"No way…" I breathed, thinking back to the City of Bronze, so many years ago.

In order to find the entrance, I had to solve a slider puzzle at the foot of a stele. That slider puzzle, when solved, formed a ruin. Thinking back to just a week ago, to the slider puzzle Eric solved at the entrance of the City of Silver, I realized it had the same exact ruin. In fact, that ruin… was the same one my finger was tracing now… in an _Azran_ book!

I quickly copied it down, looking between the ruins on the page and comparing them, mentally, to the ones found at different City sites. They weren't exactly the same, but there was more than enough similarities to prove that these two languages were connected.

In college, despite my concentration being in Creative Writing, I took an interest in Linguistics. It only made sense – I had to take a few Linguistics classes for my program.

In this class, I learned how languages take symbols from their predecessors. Most, if not all, Asian alphabets were derived from one, as well most Arabic alphabets. Even English and the other Romantic languages (Spanish, French, Germen, ect.) were derived from Latin, and shares a lot of its alphabetic traits.

What if this was no different? What if Azran ruins were derived from the ruins of these Cities? Or vice-versa? I thought through everything I knew about both societies, trying to figure out which was the older one.

Suddenly, something I said a few weeks ago flashed across my mind.

 _The only thing I can think is that these cities were created by the Azran. They date back to at least then._

 _That's it! These cities are theorized to be_ at least as old _as the Azran… but what if they're OLDER? That would mean… if the City of Gold is actually here, in the same spot as an Azran settlement… That's it!_

I quickly put my books back and rushed out, calling thanks to the librarian, and made my way quickly back to the Black Market. There, everyone was just closing up shop and getting ready for the delicious dinner Arianna made. I quickly confronted her.

"Arianna, you spent a lot of time in the Golden Garden, right?" I demanded. She looked up, surprised, from where she was setting the table.

"Hello, Flora. Erm, yes? What of it?" she asked.

"Could you take me there tomorrow and show me around? I think it might hold the answers I need," I admitted.

"Sure," she said, still surprised.

"That outing is going to have to wait, ladies," Crow said, suddenly appearing at my shoulder. I jumped slightly.

"Why's that?" I asked.

"Because tomorrow is when we put phase two of our plan into action," he said with a smirk.

…


	5. Disguise

**A/N:** Mass update!

…

Chapter Four: Disguise

The plan was simple. I didn't like it, but it was simple.

Arianna, who had grown her hair down to about the same length as mine in the past few years, would curl it, put it up in a bow, and wear the same type of dress as me. Granted, her hair was a bit lighter than mine, but it was similar enough. With any luck, no one would notice the difference.

She then had me teach her the song to break the hypnotic spell Roma Hertz had over the town.

Meanwhile, Crow and Arianna's brother, Tony, donned their Black Raven guises. Crow would carry Arianna on his back, and go north, drawing as many officers from that area as they could. Tony would carry me south, doing the same, and we would meet at the police station, in the middle.

"Please, be careful," I said, fixing Arianna's bow.

"We will," she said in an amused voice.

"And don't get caught."

"Don't worry, Crow will make sure of it."

"And please—"

"Flora, that's enough!" Arianna said, laughing as she caught my hands. "We will be okay. We will free the police from their hypnosis, then me and you will go to the Golden Garden. We _will_ beat Hertz there. Alright?"

"But… I really don't like this," I sighed. She laughed.

"I know. Too bad." She gave me a hug, then her brother, before turning to Crow. "We're all ready."

"About time," he said cheekily, smiling at her before rolling his eyes at me. "Let's get going. We're burning daylight."

The four of us made our way to the ladder and up into the market. There, Crow scooped Arianna onto his back and took off. I looked over at Tony, spotting a smile just below the mask.

"Ready?" he asked politely.

"As I'll ever be," I sighed, getting on his back. Once he was sure I was secure, he took off running.

First one, then two, then a whole hoard of officers spotted us and gave chase. I gripped the fabric at Tony's shoulders tightly, praying for the plan to work. Tony was quick, staying just in site of the hypnotized officers, but never close enough to be caught. The one time a group tried to cut us off, he leapt onto a trash bin, and from there onto a balcony, then on a roof. The officers gasped and followed (much slower), and he danced just in sight of them, waiting.

"You can loosen up a bit again, Flora," he muttered as we waited. My eyes widened, and I did as he said, not noticing my grip in both my hands and legs had tightened.

"Sorry!" I breathed. He just chuckled, whirling around and taking off again once the officers were in sight.

"Think we have enough?" Tony finally asked about ten minutes and five rooftops later. I glanced back and gasped.

"We did. Look!" I said. He slowed and turned. The officers were climbing off the roof and heading north.

Tony and I locked eyes for just a moment.

"Arianna!" we gasped, before Tony tore across the rooftops, worried for his sister. I gripped on tightly, my heart going a mile a minute.

 _I knew I didn't like this plan!_

Suddenly, Tony skid to a stop, still on a roof. I looked down into the square the building overlooked, and nearly swallowed my heart.

Crow and Arianna had, somehow, gotten surrounded. Crow was swinging at anyone who got close to Arianna, who seemed to be trying to remember the notes to the song, her flute hovering hesitantly at her lips.

I looked up, across the square, and spotted Hertz watching the scene unfold beneath us.

I knew she knew that wasn't me. But she was willing to get rid of anyone who helped me.

"Sing, Flora! That's the only way!" Tony said. I nodded, taking a deep breath, getting ready—

 _CRACK!_

"Crow!" Arianna cried. I quickly looked down, spotting the heap of Raven robes that was Crow. Standing over him was one of the officers, holding his baton. He had hit Crow in the head with it.

"No!" Tony gasped, crouching down, ready to intervene.

Suddenly, in a whirl of black cloth, two more Ravens joined the fray. One was quickly shoving through the crowd, working on getting to Arianna and Crow, while the second one fended off the police, using nothing but his fists. I noticed he was moving a little stiffly, favoring his right side.

The first Raven reached the two, pulling Crow onto his back and grabbing Arianna's hand. The second made a path for them, and just as quickly as they appeared, they vanished. I looked up at Tony.

"Who was that?" I asked.

"I… don't know. Come on, let's get back to the Black Market," he said, scooping my up onto his back and taking off. I held on tight, hoping Crow was okay.

When we climbed down the ladder and entered the market, we were immediately surrounded.

"Oh thank goodness you're okay! When the others came back and Crow was unconscious-!

"We thought you were caught too!"

"We were so worried!"

"Whoa, whoa!" Tony cried, letting me down and pulling his mask and hood off. "We're okay. Who came after us though?" he asked. My attention, however, was locked onto something over the heads of the Black Ravens. I carefully pushed through them, and gasped, my heart soaring.

"Professor!" I cried, launching myself at the man. He turned in time to intercept my flying tackle, and hugged me tight.

"Flora, my dear!" he said warmly, his arms tight around me. "You don't know how pleased I am to see that you're okay," he said softly. I looked up at him with a weak smile, before noticing what he was wearing.

"Black Raven robes?" I asked.

"Yes, my dear," he said with a smile. I looked around and noticed Eric nearby, watching with glassy eyes and a huge smile. He, too, was in Black Raven robes, and I realized: it was these two that saved Crow and Arianna. It's no wonder the one was favoring his right side. His ribs were still on the mend. The Professor let me go, and Eric scooped my up in his arms.

"I missed you, my Flower," he said softly.

"I missed you, too," I wept into his chest.


	6. The Golden Garden

Chapter Five: The Golden Garden

While Professor Layton and Eric were changing back to their normal clothes, I walked over to where Arianna was tending to Crow. There, I was met with another surprise, hovering at Arianna's elbow.

"Alfendi?" I asked. He looked up, relief covering his feature for just a moment before they warped to disinterest.

"It's good to see you're okay, Flora. You should be more careful next time," he said coolly. I grinned, walking over and hugging him tight. "Ack! Flora!" he whined.

"It's good to see you too, Al," I said warmly, only for him to huff in return. I giggled before letting him go, looking down at Crow. I noticed an icepack pressed against his left temple. "How is he?" I asked, looking up at Arianna. She sighed.

"He's alright. He'll have a headache when he wakes up though," she said. I smiled weakly.

"At least there's no lasting damage?" I said. She giggled softly, glancing over at me.

"That's true," she admitted, and I smiled. "Though I won't be leaving until he wakes up, which means I can't take you to the Garden," she sighed.

"You mean the Golden Garden?" the Professor asked, walking up behind us along with Eric. I nodded.

"Yes. I think clues to the whereabouts of the City of Gold can be found there," I admitted. Professor Layton thought about that for a moment before nodding.

"That makes sense…" he hummed.

"I can take them, sis," Tony said, joining the group. Arianna looked over.

"Are you sure, Tony?" she asked. The man nodded.

"Of course. After all, I spent all that time there with you. What'll be the difference?" he pointed out. Arianna smiled.

"Alright. Just… be careful," she said. Tony nodded.

"Another adventure," Eric said with a grin. I bit my lip slightly, studying him.

"Eric, with your ribs…"

"Please don't start with that, Flora," he pleaded, his face falling.

"Flora is right, my boy. If you are to mend, you need rest," the professor suddenly said. I looked up at him in surprise, but was happy for his input.

"But…"

"Besides, I need you to keep an eye on Alfendi," he added with a smile.

"What!? But Father, I want to come with you!" Alfendi complained. The professor gave him a patient smile.

"Not this time, Alfendi," he said in a slightly stern voice.

"But Flora gets to go!" Alfendi pointed out. I have to admit, it felt strange being on this side of the argument. I used to be in Alfendi's shoes, with Luke in mine. I almost asked Professor Layton to just let him come.

"If I had it my way, she wouldn't either," the man said, gently pulling his hat down over his eyes. "As it is, this is her investigation."

"But…"

"Please, my boy. We're just checking out the Garden, nothing more," the professor said. Alfendi finally sighed.

"Fine…"

"I don't have a choice, do I?" Eric asked. I shook my head, kissing his cheek.

"No. Sorry. I want you to heal," I said, laying a hand very gently on his right side. I felt his muscles tense slightly, bracing for pain. "And that's why," I added. He gave me a sheepish smile.

"Fine."

…

As we walked through the Golden Garden, a truly breathtaking, beautiful place, I told the professor about my discoveries with the language.

"Why, my dear, I believe you are correct," he said with a smile, looking around for clues with me. "Not much is known of these cities. They very well could be older then the Azran, yet still connected."

"That would explain the similar ruins," I said, to which he smiled with a nod.

"And what led you to exploring the Golden City. But… what do you think you'll find there?" he asked. I hesitated for a moment, thinking over the answer.

"I… don't know. Something powerful. I believe the Cities of Bronze and Silver were youth and wisdom, given their artifacts. I think the City of Gold will be power. And probably something dangerous, given these ancient people felt the need to lock it up," I explained. The professor nodded.

"That does make a lot of sen—WHOA!" he suddenly cried, dropping through a sinkhole that suddenly appeared under his feet.

"Professor!" I cried, diving towards the hole and gripping the edge, peering in. It was pitch black.

"Wait, Flora, get—" Tony began. I didn't hear the rest. My head suddenly spun, my stomach lurching. Waves of nausea rolled over me. I felt Tony hook his hands under my arms and he gently pulled me away from the opening, setting me close to the water of a nearby stream. Soon, my stomach settled, and I could see straight again.

"What… what just…?" I began in a shaky voice.

"Another sinkhole," Tony said softly. I looked up at him. "They've been appearing since Targent took over the Garden for about two years," he admitted. "And the air from them are always foul. That's what made you feel so ill."

"We have to go back and find the Professor then!" I said, lurching to my feet. Tony grabbed my arm.

"I agree, but we need supplies and back up," he said firmly. "Come on, let's get back to the Black Market.

…

 **A/N:** So… she meets back up with Professor Layton… only for him to go missing in the next chapter. Heh. Whoops?


	7. The Hunt

**A/N:** Hey guys! I'm back again! This would have been up a little sooner, but I just spent the last hour going through all the Ace Attorney and Layton games, as well as my own fictions, and putting together a timeline. That's right, my stories now have years!

For instance, this one takes place in the year 2033.

That's… crazy. I blame the Ace Attorney series for being so far in the future.

(also, like a real adult, I went to, you know, _work_ )

Anyway, I'm done rambling. ONWARD!

…

Chapter Six: The Hunt

I was a wreck when we returned to the Black Market. Eric and Alfendi immediately knew something was wrong.

" _WHAT!?"_ Alfendi demanded once I told them what happened. "We need to go find him!" he said. I nodded.

"Yes, _we_ do," I said, looking at Eric. He seemed surprised.

"What about my ribs?" he asked. I sighed softly.

"I am worried about that, but… Me and you started this thing eleven years ago. _Together_. And Alfendi got sucked into it. I decided the three of us need to see this through together. Besides, you have the most Archeology training out of the three of us," I explained. He smiled at that, kissing my forehead.

"Well, alright then. Come on, let's get going."

"Right."

…

That how we found ourselves walking carefully through the Golden Garden, a length of rope connecting the three of us (it was tied around mine and Alfendi's waists, and Eric's wrist). That way, if any of us dropped down a sudden sink hole, the other two could pull us back up.

"Hopefully, the Professor is wondering around the garden, looking for us," Eric said after a few minutes. I smiled at that.

"Hopefully," I said.

"What about that foul air you mentioned?" Alfendi asked.

"What if that air rises, and the air beneath it's clean?" I countered. "After all, it kind of rushed up through the opening…"

"Hmm… that is possible, if that air is lighter then oxygen," Alfendi mused.

"You know, me and the professor were thinking… these Cities might be older then the Azran, you know? Like, predecessors."

There was a sudden jerk on the rope around my waist. I dug my feet in, turning to see who fell in the sink hole.

Thankfully, no one did. Eric had just stopped suddenly.

"Don't do that! I nearly had a heart attack!" Alfendi complained. Eric didn't pay him no mind, however. It looked like a lightbulb had just appeared over his head.

"That's it!" he gasped.

"What's it?" I asked.

"If the City of Gold really is older than the Azran… than this Garden, that means the city is _under_ this garden! A large, empty space under the surface would explain the sinkholes!"

"But Tony said they didn't start appearing until Targent took the Garden over," I reminded him.

"The ground was probably structurally sound… until they bought in heavy machinery," he countered.

"If that's the case… we need to find lower ground," Alfendi said. "That's where the entrance would most likely be."

"Which means the professor is _in the City of Gold!_ Let's get going then!" I said with a smile, and the three of us quickly made our way to lower ground.

After about an hour of walking (and only one close call with Alfendi) we found a large, golden door. In the center was a puzzle: a slider, just like the last two.

"We made it…" Eric breathed, walking over to the door and examining it. I smiled, watching him for a moment, before looking over at Alfendi.

"I'll take the puzzle this time," he said, before making quick work of it. The three of us stepped back, watching the door expectantly.

Nothing happened.

"What's going on…?" Eric demanded.

"The Keys! That's right! We need the Chalice and the Staff," I reminded them.

"Well… damn. Does that mean we can't get in?" Eric asked. I sighed, thinking about the Professor stuck behind that door.

"Not quite," Alfendi suddenly said. I looked over at him, noticing for the first time the duffle bag he was carrying.

From it, he pulled the Bronze Chalice of Youth, and the Silver and Amethyst Staff of Wisdom.

"How…?" I asked in shock, taking the staff as he passed it over to me.

"Remember how I took the staff and ran?" he asked. Eric and I nodded. "Well, they _never caught me_. And you must have dropped the Chalice or something when Hertz knocked you out, Flora. I found it right in front of the stage," he explained. I grinned, throwing my arms around him.

"Ack! Flora! Stop doing that!" he yelled. I laughed.

"Nope. You're awesome, you know that?" I said. He managed to free himself this time and turned away with a huff… but not before I noticed a slight tinge of pink on his cheeks.

"Just… put the Staff in that recess," he snapped, pointing. I looked over to the spot and smiled, untying myself so I could. After all, the gap between the two spots were much too long for us to stay tied together.

As soon as the Staff of Wisdom and the Chalice of Youth were in place, the door admitted a low grinding sound, and the door opened slowly.

Suddenly, we were surrounded by cops. One managed to grab Alfendi, while another grabbed Eric. I ducked, feeling arms sweep over me, and quickly moved away, pressing my back against the wall right next to the entrance. Looking around, I noticed the cops were all wearing gas masks, some already engaged, other's hanging from their neck or belt.

Suddenly, Hertz pushed through the cops, walking right up to me.

"That was a good show you put on earlier, in town," she said with a smirk. I scowled at her, thinking back to Crow and Arianna. "But it ends here, Flora. Come along quietly, and no one will get hurt," she said. I looked around at the cops, doubting that.

"The gas masks… what are they for?" I demanded. Hertz smirked.

"The air in the City of Gold is saturated with a neurotoxin. It slowly kills anyone who goes in without one of these masks," she explained.

" _What!?_ " Eric, Alfendi, and I demanded. She glanced between the three of us.

"What's the issue?" she asked, but I could only think of one thing.

 _Professor Layton!_

"Flora!" Alfendi suddenly yelled. I looked over in time to see him thrust his bony elbow into the stomach of his captor. He then yanked the mask off of his belt and threw it to me. I caught it, knowing what he wanted me to do, and pulled it on, running into the City of Gold with only one thought in mind.

 _Please don't let me be too late!_

…

 **A/N:** Yes, I know. I'm evil. MWAHAHA!


	8. The City of Gold

Chapter Seven: The City of Gold

The City of Gold was nothing like the last two cities. The buildings were made of gold, but rather than the tall, far reaching building, these were short, built more for function, it appeared. There was no source of light, making me thankful for the torch I had grabbed from the black market, and there were small, purple flowers _everywhere._ I also saw movement once or twice, but as soon as I focused on it, it would be gone.

I'll be honest. I was terrified.

Between the very fact that the _air_ here could kill me, coupled with the unknown movement in the dark and the fact that I knew Hertz had people follow me in, I was very, very alone, and in a bad position.

I swept the light of my torch over the ground again, before freeze, spotting something that'll make my life a little easier.

A gold sword, looking to be in good condition, laid near the edge of the path. I picked it up, testing the weight and balance, before nodding, continuing forward.

As I walked past different small streets, I shone my light down them, hoping to spot the Professor. That was probably a bad idea.

One of the times I shined my light down between buildings, my heart stopped. A tall, spindly, purple _thing_ was there, eating some of the flower. It froze as the light fell on it, and turned white, beady eyes on me.

Despite the flowers seeming to be its choice of food, it had razor sharp, long claws, and fangs. I let out a primal, guttural scream, and launched itself at me. With a cry of surprise, I fell backwards, swing the sword wildly at it.

The blade slashed across its face, and it let out another cry, this time of pain.

And suddenly, the City was alive with cries and guttural voices screaming. The creature dove at me again, blood splattering from the cut on its face, and tackled me.

I had just enough time to thrust my sword forward. As we fell back, the blade stabbed through the creature's stomach, killing it.

Waves of nausea rolled over me as I realized what just happened, and I quickly pushed the creature off. I didn't have much time to dwell, though, because two more of the creatures suddenly rounded the corner, charging straight at me. I braced myself, knowing if I went easy on them, I'd die.

The fight was quick. I got plenty of cuts, but I did pretty well, in my opinion. The first creature fell, just as a police officer rounded the corner. Hypnotized as he was, all of his attention was focused on me, and he didn't notice the creature… until it slashed him across the face. His mask went spinning away, and the officer gasped. I ground my teeth together, stepped forward, planting my foot on the ground, and used all of my strength in a thrust. The blade entered the creature right between the ribs, and he fell like his companions. I then turned to the officer, who was groaning, looking sick.

"Please… help…" he gasped. I dropped the sword, realizing the hypnotic spell had been broken, and ran to where his mask had landed, handing it back to him. He pulled it on, breathing the now clean air deeply.

"Thank you…" he muttered.

"You're welcome, officer. Are you okay?" I asked.

"I… think so? What happened? Where am I?" he asked. I sighed, quickly explaining as I picked the sword back up, just in case. He seemed surprised, but took it a lot better than I thought he would.

"So, this is a search and rescue then?" he asked. I nodded.

"Yes. I just hope we aren't too late…" I admitted. The man smiled at me through his mask.

"I've met this Professor once or twice. He's smart. I'm sure he figured something out," the man said. I smiled warmly at him.

"You're right. I'm sure he did too," I said. The two of us walked together, keeping an eye out for other cops, more creatures, or the professor himself.

Unfortunately, a creature found us first. And it was different than the others. This one was large, looking almost like a seal, with dark purple skin and wicked fangs.

"Wh-what is… you can't… you can't fight that, can you…?" the officer asked, backing away. The creature, at this point, was advancing on us.

"No. Run!" I cried, taking off in one direction. The officer ran in another, giving the creature pause as it looked after the two of us. I dove between the buildings, appreciating the function of their short, sturdy looks now. The alleyway twisted this way and that, and I followed it.

Until I tripped.

"Whoa!" I cried, my torch and sword flying out of my hands. I managed to catch myself (just barely) before my face hit the ground. Crawling forward, I found my torch, and swung it around to see what I tripped on.

It was Professor Layton, his back against the building, his legs sprawled in front of him. His hat was slightly askew, and he seemed to be unconscious.

"Professor?" I asked, giving his shoulder a gentle shake. No response. "Professor!" I called. His head lolled to the side slightly from my shaking, and his hat fell off. I gasped, noticing a makeshift gas mask on his face.

He had… what's the word? MacGyver'd something together, per normal.

 _But it must not be fully effective!_ I realized. Taking a deep breath, I pulled my mask off and switched it for his, putting the real gasmask on his face. Taking small breaths, I could feel my head getting a little light.

It was still letting in a little of the toxins.

"Come on, Professor," I muttered, shaking his arm again. A few more minutes rolled by, before he shifted slightly, a small groan escaping him.

"Professor!" I said gleefully.

"Flora…?" he mumbled, looking at me with bleary eyes. "Where…?"

"The City of Gold, to be honest," I said, standing. "We have to get out of here."

"R-right…" he muttered, picking up his hat and putting it on, before attempting to stand.

He immediately slid back down with a groan.

"I-I'm… sorry my dear. I believe I am too weak to walk right now…" he sighed.

"Miss!?" the officer I had been with called. Relief flooded my system.

"Over here!" I called. A few minutes later, he rounded the corner. "I found the professor, but he's too weak to walk," I explained. The officer nodded, coming over and pulling Professor Layton onto his back.

"That's fine. Come on, let's get going," he said. I nodded, following after him.

We reached the entrance to the City of Gold without incident. Thankfully, Hertz and the officers weren't there. Unfortunately, neither was Eric or Alfendi. I bit my lip in worry, but left it for now, directing the officer to set the professor near the water.

"You should too, miss. You're starting to stumble," he said. I blinked at him, only just realizing that beneath the adrenaline, my eyesight was blurred, and I felt extremely ill. I pulled the makeshift mask off and slid down next to the Professor. He smiled slightly, wrapping an arm around me.

"Thank you for coming and finding me," he said. I smiled warmly up at him.

"Of course, Professor. I was… really scared," I admitted. His arm tightened.

"I know, my dear. It's the same feeling I get whenever you, or Alfendi, or Luke go missing," he explained. I smiled, pressing my face against his shoulder. We stayed like for a while, breathing the pure, Garden air deeply, until the symptoms of the toxic air cleared from our systems.

…

 **A/N:** Because we need more papa-Hershel moments with Flora!


	9. Roma Hertz

**A/N:** And this chapter is where we finally learn about our villain's past and her motivations! I'm no better than the Layton games… (Think about when we learned about Don Paulo and Jean Descole…)

…

Chapter Eight: Roma Hertz

"I'm glad you two are okay," a voice suddenly said from behind. I jumped slightly, turning and spotting one of the Black Ravens. He pulled his mask off.

"Tony! What are you doing here?" I asked.

"I had a bad feeling, so I came and followed you three," he admitted.

"Wait… 'three'?" the Professor asked. Tony nodded.

"Yes. Flora, Eric, and Alfendi. I watched as they were caught, and Flora went in to find you…"

"Where are the others?" I asked, my heart sinking. He sighed softly.

"Hertz gave them both a mask… and they all followed you in," he said.

"What!?" I gasped. Tony nodded, but I was thinking back to that day I woke up in that trunk, and what Hertz had said to me.

 _You might have bested me with the Cities of Bronze and Silver… but you won't this time. You're bait. But beyond that, I also needed a test subject._

 _I also needed a test subject._

 _A test subject._

"We have to go after them!" I said, lurching to my feet, grabbing the mask the Professor had sat down. He stood, looking at the officer.

"May I borrow your mask?" he asked politely.

"What? Professor, no. You're still too weak from the toxins," I argued. The officer looked between the two of us, but still handed the mask over. Professor Layton pulled it on, turning to me.

"I will be fine, my dear. Now come, let's go find the others," he said, striding forward. I sighed, giving Tony an exasperated look, before pulling on my mask and following.

 _He's as bad as Eric!_

…

The first place I decided we should look was the palace, and the Professor agreed. We quickly made our way through the streets, not meeting any of the creatures, thankfully, until we reached the front gate. It was thrown wide open, and we could hear machinery moving around. We made our way to the throne room. There, it looked as though the gold and marble tiles had been cracked open, revealing dirt beneath and more of those purple flowers. Eric and Alfendi were tied to nearby pillars, and the police were gone.

In the middle of the room was a large, black excavating machine, carefully digging the flowers out of the earth and preserving the roots. Operating it was Roma Hertz herself.

"That must be one of the machines Descole left behind…" the professor mused.

"Well, Professor? What should we do?" I asked. He smiled at me.

"This is your case, Flora. You're in charge. What do you think we should do?" he asked. I froze, looking up at him with wide eyes, and he smiled reassuringly.

"Um… alright…" I muttered, watching for a few moments. I looked around, noticing a chain on the ground.

"You free the boys. Once you're done that, I need the three of you to grab that chain and wrap it around the legs of that machine. I'm going to distract her, okay?" I said. He smiled.

"Got it," he replied, moving out. I ran forward.

"Hertz, this is as far as this goes!" I yelled. She looked over, and smirked.

"You're right. It is," she said. "I finally have what I've been searching for all these years!"

"These flowers?" I asked. "Everything you've done was for these flowers?"

"Of course, my girl! You're smart. Don't you realize that these flowers are the source of the toxins surrounding us?" she asked. "Once I harvest them, I can convert it into the most powerful hypnotic drug known to man. _That_ is the real treasure of the City of Gold!" she announced. A sick sensation rolled through my stomach.

"Of course. I should have figured that's what you were after. But… why?" I asked. I could see the professor working on the knots of Eric's ropes, and Alfendi was still tied up. I needed to buy tie.

"You wouldn't understand," the woman spat. "You, who has everything she could hope for. Who never had to lose the ones she loved and been thrown into the Foster Care system where she had no control at all." She scoffed bitterly. My eyes widened, and suddenly, I could see myself in her.

 _You're wrong._

"I didn't even get to choose what I concentrated in once I went to university. I wanted to study music. I was so good at it!"

 _I lost my parents. I lived for a year and a half in a town full of nothing but robots._

"Well, the joke's on my foster parents! By pushing me into Psychology and Anthropology, rather than music, not only will I be able to control them, but I'll control _everything!_

 _But that's no excuse for this! There are other ways!_

"I will stop you, Hertz."

 _And maybe even save you from this madness._

…

 **A/N:** Yeah… you know I just had to develop a deeper connection between Flora and Hertz. It had to be done.


	10. Hopeful Sorrow

**A/N:** This is the second to last chapter! I'm going to finish this story out, then take a break from this account while I work on finishing a story on a different account.

…

Chapter Nine: Hopeful Sorrow

"You need to stop this, Hertz!" I called. She didn't answer, continuing with her harvest. Suddenly, I noticed Eric, Alfendi, and Professor Layton moving towards the chain. I took a deep breath.

"We can help you. Please," I said. She looked down at me for a moment, before one of the large claws suddenly swung towards me. I threw myself forward, feeling the claw miss by less than an inch.

"I grow tired of you, Flora Reinhold!" she snapped, trying again. I dodged once more, beginning to notice that she was a little sloppy with controlling the machine. I also noticed a painful screech coming from the joints when they moved too much too quickly. Sparks admitted from those points.

 _She didn't oil that machine at all! How long did it sit before she brought it here?_

Suddenly, Alfendi and Eric began to run around the metal monster's legs, tangling it in the chain they held between them. Hertz didn't notice, and tried to make the machine step forward. Between the lack of grease on the joints, and the machine fighting against the chain, more spark flew, landing on the flowers.

The flowers immediately caught fire.

"What!? NO!" Hertz cried. The fire spread among the flowers until the whole room was ablaze, showing that the flowers were highly flammable.

"Come on, Flora! We have to get out of here!" Eric yelled, taking my arm and pulling me out of the palace. I looked back, noticing Hertz was still trapped in the machine.

"You go ahead!" I yelled, slipping out of his grasp and running back in.

"What!? Flora, no! Come back!" he yelled. I ignored him, climbing up on the machine and over to where she sat, trying to disengage the buckle. Her hands were shaking too much, so I shoved them away, trying myself.

"Wha? Flora?" she gasped, looking up at me. "Why'd you come back?"

"Because I can't just leave you to die!" I snapped. "You're human, despite what you've done. And we're more alike than you know."

"What…?"

"I was an orphan, too," I said, yanking at the straps. "I lost my parents when I was young. I was secluded to a tower for god's sake. Even once the Professor took me in, I didn't have any control over my life. Not until Seacreast, and only because he was out of town." I yanked harder, slamming my fist into the buckle. "Dammit! It won't disengage!" I yelled.

"I've been so stupid…" Hertz suddenly said. I looked up at her, and noticed a look on her face that tore at my heart. Overwhelming regret. "All this time… I've been so mad… so blind. I could have made something of myself, despite my past, like you did… and I made myself into a villain." She looked up at me, tears in her eyes. "It's no use, Flora. These flowers are going to blow up at any minute. They're highly combustible. You need to escape."

"Not without you!" I snapped. She shook her head, grabbing one of the levers.

"I'm not giving you a choice." She pushed it forward, and suddenly, the large claw appendage of the machine grabbed me.

"Thank you, Flora." She snapped the lever to the side, and I was flung through the air. I crashed through a window, into the air outside of the palace, just as her predicted explosion happened.

"No!" I cried. Something flashed before my eyes, and I felt a sharp pain against my forehead, before blackness swallowed me whole.


	11. Moving Forward

**A/N:** Thus the final chapter. I hope you all enjoyed these series! I had a lot of fun writing it. I'm going to miss it. *sob*

Anyway. If you're a fan of the Ace Attorney series, go check out my other story, Ace Attorney: Apollo Gramarye on my other screen name, WingedEmerald1992. If not… well, sorry!

Alrighty, here we go!

…

Chapter Ten: Moving Forward

"Oh… my head…" I groaned, stirring slightly. I felt a familiar, comforting hand brush through my hair.

"Flora? Are you awake?" the owner of the hand asked. I opened my eyes, recognizing our surroundings as that of the Black Market. I glanced up, and realized my head was resting in Eric's lap. He looked down at me worriedly.

"Yeah…" I muttered. He smiled in relief.

"Thank goodness. It's been a few hours, since…" he trailed off.

"Roma Hertz. Is she… did she make it?" I asked. Eric looked away.

"I'm sorry. There was no sign of her. We didn't have much time to look, though," he admitted. "The explosion shook _everything_. The Golden Garden was coming down on our heads by the time we found you," he explained.

"What?" I gasped softly. He nodded.

"Yeah. The Garden's no more. Its collapse made it highly poisonous. We… sealed it off again. For the safety of Misthallery."

 _The Garden. Roma Hertz. Why did I come up with that plan!? Why didn't I stop them? Why!?_ A sob bubbled up in my throat, and I buried my face in Eric's knee. I felt his arms wrap around me in an attempt to comfort me.

…

 _Six Months Later_

I sighed in satisfaction, sitting back from my typewriter with a grin.

"Done!" I said brightly, pulling the paper out and adding it to the tall stack of papers next to the type writer. "Now to just send this to my publisher."

"Boo!" a voice suddenly said from behind me. I gasped, jumping and whirling around. Eric, dressed in his new, light purple suit, laughed. "I gotcha!" he called.

"Yeah, yeah, whatever," I said, sticking my tongue out. He grinned, taking in my sweater and the house skirt I was wearing.

"Is that what you're wearing to dinner?" he asked me. I rolled my eyes.

"No. I need to go get ready. I just… wanted to finish the last chapter of my new book," I explained, heading to the room. Two month ago, I finally moved out of the Professor's and into a flat with Eric. We weren't far from either his flat or the university, but both Eric and I had felt it was time for us to have our own space. Eric followed me to the bedroom, where I dug for a nice dress.

"So, what's this book about?" Eric asked, sitting on the bed. I smiled slightly.

"It's about a woman who was orphaned when she was fourteen. She was thrown into the foster care system, with a pair of foster parents who wanted to control her life and mold her into something other than what she wanted to be," I explained.

"The true story of Roma Hertz? That's why you were doing all that research?" he asked. I nodded.

"Exactly. I want the world to know who she was and why she was the way she was. It's in memory of her," I said. Eric smiled at me warmly as I turned, now wearing a pretty, peach colored dress.

"I think that's a wonderful idea, my Flower," he said. I smiled, grabbing a small box and slipping it into my purse, before turning to him.

"Thank you. I'm ready," I said. He grinned, leading me down to his car, where we drove to a nice restaurant.

"So, why are we doing this again?" Eric asked once we ordered our food.

"To celebrate you achieving your Professorship, silly!" I replied. "And, you even beat the professor, too. He used to be the youngest professor in in Gressensheller history, but now it's you, and at twenty-four, too!" I giggled. He smiled rather proudly of himself. "Speaking of which, I have a gift."

"It's not a top hat, is it? I wouldn't look good in a top hat," he said.

"Goodness, no!" I laughed. "You're not a gentleman enough for that."

"Hey!"

"Here," I said, holding out the small box I had grabbed earlier. He took it curiously, opening it. Inside was a lapel pin. Set against a gold flower was a miniature, silver Staff of Wisdom and a bronze Chalice of Youth. There were even little amethyst stones set into the staff and the flower.

"Wow… it's beautiful," he breathed, pinning it to his lapel. I smiled warmly.

"I had it made specifically for you. To, you know, commemorate the adventures that really brought us together," I said. He chuckled at that.

"I love it. In fact… I have a gift for you too," he said, taking my left hand while he dug in his pocket. A moment later, he pulled out a ring box.

I stopped breathing.

"Flora, I know our lives have been adventure after adventure, but I want to make sure we're always side by side through them. Will you marry me?"

"I…" the whole restaurant was silent. My vision was blurry. I was speechless.

I nodded, tears trailing down my face.

…

 **A/N:** And there we have it! The conclusion!

I really need to stop ending huge adventures with proposals… hehe.


End file.
